SICK and abandoned birds will be able to get off the ground again with a little help from a Hemsby wildlife hospital which has received a �1,200 grant to build two new aviaries.

SICK and abandoned birds will be able to get off the ground again with a little help from a Hemsby wildlife hospital which has received a �1,200 grant to build two new aviaries.

The Foxy Lodge wildlife sanctuary in Newport Road has received the money from pet store Pets At Home after applying to the national chain's charity section for funding.

The cash will be spent on the new aviaries and a nursery to provide space for between 30 and 40 birds. The hospital already has 20 birds, including feral pigeons, doves, tawny owls, pheasants and members of the crow family such as jackdaws.

John Garner, who runs Foxy Lodge with wife Tonya, said the new aviaries would enable them to divide the crows from the normal garden birds as the former tended to attack the latter and could not be housed in one aviary.

He said: “The money will enable us to build two new aviaries to enlarge our facilities and give us more capability to take in birds this year.”

Although 80pc of the wildlife at the hospital is birds, the sanctuary also takes in other animals including muntjac deer, Chinese Water deer, lambs, wild rabbits and hedgehogs.

The hospital has four categories of animals it takes in- sick, injured, orphans and abandoned.

Mr Garner and his wife were featured in the Mercury in October after they took in hedgehog Baldrick suffering from the rare condition mange, which causes baldness.

The couple started the hospital after caring for animals that had been hit by cars.

The hospital welcomes all donations, particularly of hutches. Call 01493 384237.